Tool lift and dispensing mechanism control means



March 2, 1954 g;- M, KRlEGBAUM 2,670,699

TOOL LIFT AND DISPENSING MECHANISM CONTROL MEANS Filed Dec. 22, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet l i? li TIL-:313% gli (il March 2, 1954 G. M. KRIEGBAUM 2,670,699

TOOL LIFT AND DISPENSING MECHANISM CONTROL.` MEANS Filed DeC. 22, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 2, 1954 G, M KRIEGBAUM TOOL. LIFT AND DISPENSING MECHANISM CONTROL MEANS Filed DBC. 22, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 2, 1954 G, M. KRIEGBAUM TOOL LIFT AND DISPENSYING MECHANISM CONTROL MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Deo. 22, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 2, 1954 G. M. KRIEGBAUM TOOL LIFT AND DISPENSING MECHANISM CONTROL MEANS med neo. 22. 194s Patented Mar. 2, 1954 :LTUOLEIET DISPENSINGfME-GHANISM :CONTROL MEANS .iApplicaimleoemher 2,2, 1948, Serial No. 66,625 zzafolcaims. (c1. 'r11-esi) @his :invention .-.iaeiates to C.eeiieulturel implements, .and particularly -fto @dispensing .machines sueh-fas, gra.ndrii1s.

-iAyconventinnalgrfain .drillecomprses anfvelongated .transvenseggnainfbox isuppontedi on ground Wheels and having' agpluvelibyfof lfurrowopener units-raiseda-enddowenedbycpowen derived. from the-ground wheels. cCustomarily, lwhew-the;fur-

the-seedadispensing. mechanism is .simultaneously thrown Yout of :oper-ation @by simple :apparatus whiehbintericonnects j.tliepoyver liftnand-fthe cseed Shaft cdrve. z-However, lue ,-to :the :fdista-ncesseed has .fto-tnavel ,from the grain 'box 4throne-Tn the exibleiube to-ftheiffurrcm the opena-tion-.of seed dropping-Hiobsynohronizediwthithearaisiiig.and lowering-fof itl-1e cfurrow gopenexs. The -1es,u1t;r.-is mahseedcisfwasted Jpyfbellig Si)leeiiaimon` the-surfece '.of Athe ground -I or xplanting space v'is wasted by ailuie-jof seed to @enter :the ifuritow i for :some distance after the furrcwfopenersmave begun", to penate.

.-Eorf-:examplelet uswassumeaihatca gieeimdriil has fneached fthe aendnof :eaxeld and is till-hing -to=;open. fur1zows g.oing ing Lhefoppositeidirecizion. Theiurrowaopenersf haveebeenfraisedtoctnenspont and :the seed dispensing Vgmacizaimism has fheen putiouteofzcperation. Tha-mechanism by which theofurrowmpeners 1ere "loweredyisajnowactuated and theftooisinuickiy .dropettheggroundsendistert gpenmg;=.a furrow. mtwtheizisamestime thatzthe lcvwverile'g v.mechei-iisxan -is A:ictumse-ci tame dispensing mechanismiis likewise=,;ectuated. v.I-Icfiwever, due to. fifictional contact ofi-the seeda'with iheciiexifble tubeithnoiggh -whichlt-ffails, .laszwelbaasithegiteater leggi-hf; fl faliiacompafeiiwwith' thateofsthe; f uriaow opener .afcensidevableflengtinoiurnowhasiibeen opened:beforefenyseedisidroppedixherein. :Tine result .is that :ga great deal-cof .pmmmgaspace wasted.

(.2 dispeiisirigfmechenism priormomaisixig or .lowering-oltheiurrowwformingitools.

.Anothenbjectf the invention Tis .mo v.mim-ide miaplantercsuchas afer-ain drill a;comm0n.1ever ionoperfating .t.heseiaijidispenser drvefcluthgand the .control ifor the v.f-Lurow openers, 'fthe initial movement of, thelever,serviigctolactuategtheseed shaft-f,drive.fcluch andffurtherfmovement ,1 -.heireof actuatingxighe.furrow.=gpene1:s. 'hepperations are so timed thatfwhenfgoing.intofoperatiiggpositiontheseedi-eachcs thground,atepproximately the..sa{me,time ,es :thefurncwegpenersvandcimon reachrig miie @end of -the row lthe :dispensirig mechanism.isfstoppedmeoreythefurrowfopeners eine.lifted.so..thettlielest` Q-.IIGSBed neahespighe glio-und. et. aDproxim-ateiyvthe samer-,timer that che tum-:ow openerswleavefthe ground.

.Other objects-end. .advantages of.- .the,. invention will Vbecome .releer .from :the following ..detafiled desc1ipton=.when umeridin conjunction .with the accompanying ,.drawirigs Vfwfhereign Iig. 12. is;y Vva. View in,- endryelevationfrfwith; 03E-wheel removed ,for clarity .of the struciureishowniin Figfl.

` Fig ...3f-fis .a freer.: elevation ,of ;e;po1?bi9n,cf .the structure shown :in Eig. .1 5er1-,d illustrating-.fthe :Jaen-ner,4 in-whic.h driverfis f .tizansmitted from .the

vtion .Qfetheiipats rfccrrespond-irie .to mmeperetirie `position of ...the feenih working tools and ,illusmating theexeietionship-- of he contxilfielements fon-actiuarilig Lheypcwerrii tfandtheiseeiishefi.

Fig. '7 is a detail similar-to.Eigqiparigly section, showigg thefengigemene.ofg-thefcluiciigper il*Jilvsmt-tingcpowei5 fnomuihe. Wiieelffshef,1:u tozthe seedeshaft.

Eig. 8;.-is assectionalgdeieibshewiieceeriemdeteils.aimons,truotiemofiz'uiie-povverfliitr mechaniarfn.

.Beiemieeftetheidramessathefplaniirigemechenism incorporating the features of the present invention is a grain drill comprising a rectangular frame designated by the numeral l to which is secured a triangularly shaped hitch member I I adapted to extend forwardly from the drill and to be connected in draft receiving relation to suitable propelling means such as a tractor. Frame l0 comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending frame bars I2 and I3 in the form of angle irons connected at each end by cross bars I4 and I5. The frame is supported upon a pair of laterally spaced ground engaging wheels I6 secured to the ends of an axle I1 extending transversely of the vgrain drill and supported in suitable bearings carried by brackets I8, one of which is provided at each end of the frame.

A plurality of earth working units I9 are provided at laterally spaced locations on the frame. Each unit comprises a drag link pivotally connected at its forward end to the front angle .bar I2 of the frame. To the rear end of the drag link 20 is secured a supporting member 2 I for a furrow opening tool in the form of a disk 22. Secured to the support 2| and extending downwardly alongside the disk and having an outlet near the ground is a seed boot 23 adapted to receive seed or the like dropped through a flexible tube 24 from a transversely extending seed box 25 mounted upon the grain drill frame.

It will now be clear that the grain drill is supported during operation and in transport upon the wheels I6 and that the earth working unit I9 is generally vertically movable about its pivotal connection to the frame between operating and transport positions. The furrow opening units are raised and lowered with respect to the frame by a power lift structure indicated at 26, which comprises a drum or clutch member 21 secured to the shaft I1 and constantly rotatable therewith. As shown in Fig. 8 the constantly rotatable member or drum 21 is provided interiorly upon its inner periphery with notches or grooves 28. Likewise mounted upon the shaft I1 but rotatable with respect thereto is a plate member 29 provided at opposite sides thereof 180 apart with two recesses 30, each of which is provided with an extension 3l. Secured to this plate 29 is an eccentric member 3 2 which is rotatable with the plate 29 eccentrically to the axis of the shaft I1. Mounted upon the eccentric 32 and rotatable with respect thereto is a band 32a having secured thereto a thrust rod 33, one end ofwhich is pivotally connected to an arm 34vmounted upon a transversely extending rock shaft 35 carried in bearings upon lugs 36 secured to and extending upwardly from the grain drill frame. Likewise secured to the shaft 35 is a lift arm 31, one being provided for each of the furrow opener units I9 at laterally spaced locations along the rock shaft 35. Arm 31 is provided at its end with a swivel 38 in which is slidably received a lift rod 39 pivotally connected at its lower end at 40 upon the support 2l. Rod 39 is prevented from displacement from the swivel 38 by a cotter key 4I and a spring 42 surrounding the rod 39 abuts the swivel at its upper end and-at its lower end abutsa pin 43 which is adjustable in order t-o vary the tension upon the spring 42.

Rocking of the shaft 35 and of the lift arm 31 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 will, of course, raise the furrow opening units I9 to a transport or inoperative position. In Fig. 2 the furrow opener unit is shown in a lowered position with the disk 22 resting upon the ground.

In Fig. 2 also the position of the eccentric member 32 is indicated partly in dotted lines to show the position of the parts when the unit has been lowered. Fig. 5 shows the position of the parts with the earth working tools in raised position.

In order that the power lift mechanism 26 may be actuated as needed when the furrow openers are to be raised to transport position, as when turning at the end of a field, or when they are to be lowered into operating position when initiating a trip across the eld it is necessary that the movement of the plate 29 and of the eccentric 32 to rock the shaft 35 and lift arm 31 be intermittently operable. This is accomplished by the provision of a double ended dog 44 pivotally mounted at 45 upon the plate member 23 and having mounted upon one arm thereof a roller 46. Roller 46 is engageable lwith one of the grooves 28 on the inner periphery of drum 21 and is urged into that position by means of a spring 41 anchored to one arm of the dog and to the plate member 29. When the roller 4B is seated in one of the grooves 28 of the drum, plate mem- .ber 29 'and its eccentric portion 32 rotate with the drum to rock the rock shaft 35 and raise or lower the earth working units I9.

The roller 43 is normally held out of engagement with the grooves l28 by control mechanism generally indicated at 41a which includes a roller 48 mounted upon one arm 48 of a lever 58 pivoted at 5I upon a bracket 52 secured to the grain drill frame and having an upwardly extending control arm 53. Lever or control member 5B is biased to a position in which roller 48 is seated in recess 38 against the projection 3| by a spring 54 anchored to the lever portion 53 at one end and at its other end to a rod 55 slidably receivable in an aperture formed in a lug 55 carried by the frame. Rod 55 is threaded at its end to receive a nut 51 by which the tension upon the spring 54 maybe adjusted as desired.

When the roller 48 is seated in the recess 30 the end of dog 44 is engaged and roller 4E moves out of contact with the grooves 28 against the action of the spring 41. In this position of the parts the plate 29 and eccentric 32 do not rotate and only drum 21 is driven with the shaft or axle I1. Lever 53 is rocked in a clockwise direction as viewed for example in Fig. 2 by means of a rope 58 which extends forwardly to a position near the operator of the tractor or vehicle by which the implement is drawn. The operator pulls upon the rope 58 when it is desired to raise or lower the furrow opening tools, control member 50 rocks clockwise about its pivot 5I, roller 48 is unseated from recess 39, and spring 41 urges roller t6 into engagement with one of the grooves 28 of drum 21. Plate member 29 and eccentric 32 then revolve within the band 32a roller 48 riding upon the outer edge of the plate 29 until a half revolu-I tion thereof has been completed. The operator having released the rope 58 roller 48 is urged into the opposite recess 30 of the plate. When it is desired to again raise or lower the tools this operation is repeated. Y

As previously pointed out, when initiating a planting :operation at the edge of a field the earth working tools are lowered to operating position to begin the opening of a furrow for the deposition of seed. With conventional equipment it is customary to actuate theseed dispensing mechanism simultaneously with the movement of the earth working tools as they are lowered. Since the seed has a considerable distance to travel from the -seed box 25 to the lower-'earth pene= A'therealong ,vteatinefiedee .of the-diskicrdisksz.rand further, since :the feneeunters .fffrietienal :resistanee aeaipstethe -zsidessotheffexible tube l21| fand-,of the. boot e3 esiiskzis;alreadvin` thee-round and 'has formeda furrewfforesemedistarieebefore the seedgreaches the furrow. :It: :thereforeimporstent tocaveid :this wastegplanting fspaeezand have :the .f seed begin it@ sirop finto the furrow Yat .the :moment theifurrow is =:opened Likewise @reaching `.thefeiid of zthe riieldiinztheiease off 110.11- tv. tionalgequipmeritzthefseedidispensing-mechaemsm isrshiit .olf fatftheartime .thexilirtoweepeners eaeevltaisediandiseedzdroppedbetween.theseedfbex and-theibase ofthe-seed; bootzisf-spneadfuuonithe #surface .of :the eground. These dieulties avare e f mvertcomexbymechanisml. now-,toxbefdescribed.

;lt-fmayfbe;notettforA example; in'fFigi-Brithatfthe seed shaftxnextends.transverselyxorthemachme sandiserves :to operatepiniarmannerawelleknownain .machinesfof this type,,mechanismzfbyzwhichseed bis passed .from :the tbox :.25 into :the itubesr24. ,As indicated in Fig. 3 shaft 59 is dividedfintontwo parts forareason.whichewilllihereinafter become clear. Each part 59 of the seed shaft is driven from :the :wheel shaft l| 1 #by :mechanism swhich e As will beobserved in Figs. 4 and 7, gear 13 is frusto-conical in shape and is provided with a hub 14 which engages a spring 15 surrounding shaft |1 and abutting at its other end a cotter 16 carried by the shaft. Spring 15 urges gear 13 axially against a cam member 11 rockably mounted upon the shaft |1 and provided with a. tooth 18 engageable wit-h a recess 19 in the bearing 1|. It will thus be clear that by rotation of the cam member 11 with respect to the shaft |1 and with respect to the bearing 1| the cam member 11 will move axially away from the bearing 1| and therefore will move gear 13 axially against the action of the spring 15 and away from engagement with the gear 12, thus interrupting the transmission of drive motion from axle |1 to the seed shaft 59.

Rocking of the cam 11 to move gears 12 and 13 into or out of engagement for interrupting and restoring the operation of the seeding mechanism is accomplished by means which includes an arm 80 extending radially from the cam member 11 and having pivotally connected thereto a link 8| provided at its other end with an eye 82 adapted to receive the pin 83 of a crank 84 aixed to a shaft 85 which extends transversely Vof the grain drill frame and is carried in laterally spaced bearings 86. A crank B4 is provided at each end of the shaft 85, as will be observed from a study of Fig. 1, to throw in and out the driving mechanism for each section of the seed shaft 59.

Centrally of the shaft 85 there is secured thereto a disk 81 having mounted thereupon pins 88 and 89. As will be noted in Fig. 6 when the tools refrein. oneratinglpositiohthe pinaisenesaebl? ewithea.. noti-1.11.4911 i. in .the MWL-portion@ I rohatliok `im.ernleeralzg ormingafpartof the eentllfmeans .ci 1a. '-hefothereerid, `OfvlnlI-ilis:rectified withfa galettes;- adapted to;receiveapineatparried hyethe fleveriarmee. fitfisheuldtthus,befclearthaaupon movement-,oftheleveracineacleekwise dif-@@1011 gto-actuate petitie,l powerdiftpin e9!! twill eellgggeehhe gelida Qf #7h16 Sltas landibefmQYedI-'QSL- wardly fnv virtuecftheeeneasementef therein 89 vof the disk fi'ifinenotchvrQ-ftlillki C.the disk @will be rotated in a clockwise direction -aS V,fv-ewed ineFigaS; for example. .'Assumingtthat. ite-is desiredjtoraise thegimplementffromf thepperating rposition shown .in ,Fig e 6 ;to 1 the ,raised position gshown infFigf iarmrffis: movedl forward. causing .rotation offdiskellPintelismaintainedinnotch 9;6 :by provision of. a spring @9,5 ,shown ,1in Eig 5 ewhich v.is V#anchored to .the rear lportion `:of .the @grain-drill framedhatone end' and atgritsfpther gend `to gthe link @92. As soonfas disk 81 begins tto vrotate cam member 1 .1 yis.lilsrewfise rocked-nomine -shaft {t1-to. move thefgears -l2iar1d r13-out .creenceaeement, thus 4interrupting fthe roperation eef Ethe .seed :shaft .-Ei vand stopping Vthe Iflowzffifoseed niomA the box 5.2;5. By V.the time atherlin'k 52 .has gfmovedpart of itsstrokeftothedotted hlm-.position `eindicated .in Fie. Af6 @he roller 48 rhas ilikewise .moved in Arecess 4:it :to -fthe .dette line fnostion .:indicated and is still ingengagement itixthegemi -oflthe; dog rlili holding v the rollerdfoutofeengage- `ement with notch 2 8 :of drum :member 27. It should-be pointedout'thatlink Q2 extendsglcngi- .tudinally from a locationinadvanceqOf-Tth stain f box c to a location rearwardly thereQfaand-:Oco Dies thespace betweenthe.innerl ends: of theftwo seed .shaftsf as indioatediniig. The.throwingsof the seed shaft driving mechanism in andout'f operation ,therefore to interrupt or .restore the 'dispensationof ,seedds begun Ibeforewplate29 and cam 35"begin torotate to'initi'ate Jthe vertical movement of the earth working tools. Thus, if the power lift is being actuated to lower the tools to working position the seed is allowed plenty of time and the arrangement and proportions of the control parts are so selected that the seed has arrived at the furrow opener disk and is dropped into the furrow at the moment that the furrow is opened.

The forward stroke of lever arm 53 and of link 92 causes rotation of the disk 81 to the position indicated in Fig. 5 when the members are raised to transport position. In the position of Fig. 5 lever 53 has completed its stroke, pin 88 has moved into the notch 96 and pin 89 is retained in notch 90. Upon release of the lever 53 by the operator the link 92 is returned to the position shown in Fig. 6.

It is believed that the operation of the planting mechanism herein described should be clearly understood. It should likewise be understood that modifications may be made in the invention Without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a planter including a frame, seed dispensing mechanism on the frame, clutch means for interrupting and restoring the operation of the seed dispensing mechanism, a furrow forming tool mounted on the frame for movement between operating and transport positions and lift means for raising and lowering the tool, a single control member on the frame operatively connected to and movable to actuate the lift means, and an operating connection between the control member and said clutch means, said control member being eiective in the rst part of a stroke of movement in one direction to actuate the clutch means and in the second part of said stroke to actuate the lift means to raise the tool to transport, and said control member also being eiective when the tool is raised to actuate the clutch means in the iirst part of a similar stroke of movement in said one direction and in the second part of said last mentioned stroke to actuate the lift means to lower the tool.

2. In a planter including a wheel supported frame, a driven shaft journaled on said frame, furrow opening tools mounted on said frame, power lift means mounted on the shaft and connected to said tools for movement thereof between operating and transport positions and seed dispensing mechanism for feeding seed to the furrows formed by the furrow opening tools, means for driving the seed dispensing mechanism from said shaft comprising relatively movable gears on the shaft for transmitting drive from the shaft to the seed dispensing mechanism, common control means mounted on the frame operable to actuate the lift means and to move said gears into and out of engagement, said control means comprising a lever pivoted on the frame and operatively connected to the power lift to actuate the latter and means comprising a link operatively connecting said lever to said relatively movable gears to move the latter into and out of engagement, said lever being operable in the first range of a stroke of movement thereof in one direction to move said gears and in a succeeding range of said stroke of movement to actuate said power lift, whereby the seed dispensing mechanism and the power liit are actuated in succession.

3. In a planter including a wheel supported frame, a driven shaft journaled on said frame,

furrow opening tools mounted on said frame, power lift means mounted on the shaft and connected to said tools for movement thereof between operating and transport positions and seed dispensing mechanism for feeding seed to the furrows formed by the furrow opening tools, means for driving the seed dispensing mechanism from said shaft comprising relatively movable gears on the shaft for transmitting drive from the shaft to the seed dispensing mechanism, a cam member on the shaft operable to move said gears into and out of engagement, a lever pivoted on the frame operatively connected to the power lift to actuate the latter and means comprising a link operatively connecting said lever to said cam member to actuate the latter, said lever being operable in the first range of a stroke of movement thereof in one direction to actuate said cam and in a succeeding range of said stroke of movement to actuate the power lift, whereby the seed dispensing mechanism and the power lift are actuated in succession.

GEORGE M. KRIEGBAUM.

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